Tufted fabrics simulating terry cloth



Sep 1 7 s. J. KETTERER TUFTED FABRICS SIMULATING TERRY CLOTH Filed May 6, 1965 INVENTOR, Stanley J. Kefferer BY WZTTORNEY Fig.3

WITNESS y/ 924 United States Patent 3,340,839 TUFTED FABRICS SIMULATING TERRY CLOTH Stanley J. Ketterer, Morris Plains, N.J., assignor to The Singer Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 6, 1965, Ser. No. 453,642 4 Claims. (Cl. 112-410) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to textile fabrics and their production and is particularly directed to tufted fabrics wherein loops of yarns are projected through a backing fabric to form a pile surface on each face thereof with the pile having interlocking loops and simulating a woven terry cloth fabric.

The present invention relates to a tufted fabric simulating terry cloth and has for an object to produce such a fabric that is adapted to be produced inexpensively at high speed and in which the individual loops of yarn are interlocked so that the yarn cannot be readily pulled from the fabric in the event that it is snagged.

In accordance with this invention, the above objects are obtained by the use of two yarns, One on each face of the backing fabric and each having loops projecting through the backing fabric at spaced intervals to extend as pile loops from the opposite face of the backing fabric and with each of the loops at its base or before projecting through the backing fabric extending through a loop of the opposite yarn.

Having in mind the above and other objects that will be evident from an understanding of this disclosure, the invention comprises the devices, combination and arrangements of parts as illustrated in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention which is hereinafter set forth in such detail as to enable those skilled in the art readily to understand the function, operation, construction and advantages of it when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a fabric embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the fabric of FIG. 1.

With reference to the drawings, the fabric in accordance with this invention comprises a backing fabric 1 on which is formed a longitudinally arranged series of pile loops including loops 2 extending from the one face of the fabric and formed from a first yarn 3 and the loops 4 extending from the other face of the fabric and formed from a second yarn 5. More particularly, the yarn 3 is disposed along the under face 6 of the backing fabric 1 as seen in FIG. 2 and, at spaced intervals, has loops thereof projecting through the backing fabric to form the loops 2 extending from the upper face 7 of the backing fabric, and the yarn is disposed along the upper face 7 of the backing fabric and, at spaced intervals, has loops thereof projecting through the backing fabric to form the loops 4 extending from the under face 6 of the backing fabric. The apertures through which the loops of the yarn 3 penetrate the fabric 1 are designated 8 whereas the comparable apertures with respect to the yarn 5 are designated 9.

Each of the loops 2 of the yarn 3 extend through a loop 4 of the yarn 5 prior to its projection through the backing fabric 1; and each of the loops 4 of the yarn 5 extend through a loop 2 of the yarn 3 prior to its projection through the backing fabric.

Accordingly, it will be seen that, if any of the loops 2 or 4 are snagged, the particular yarn could not be pulled freely from the backing fabric as would be the case with plain tufted loops. On the contrary the interlocking of the loops tends to resist pulling the loops from the fabric. At the same time, by the use of two threads which are introduced from opposite faces of the fabric, it will be apparent that the speed at which the loops can be formed would be significantly increased over that which would otherwise be the case if only a single yarn were used.

As seen in the drawings, loops 2 and 4 are preferably staggered with respect to each other, or more specifically, the apertures or points of penetration 8 and 9 of the backing fabric alternate at spaced intervals. In this manner, one link of each loop is extended from its point of penetration forwardly in the direction of feed of the fabric and around both of the links of the succeeding loop of the other yarn prior to their penetration of the backing fabric. In this manner and in addition to the interlocking effect obtained, the loop is in effect opened and there are formed discrete loops extending in the direction of feed of the backing fabric and with the opposed links thereof spaced at approximately one half of the distance between the points of penetration of the backing fabric by the one yarn.

While there is herein disclosed only a single line of stitching it will be understood that in the completed fabric, there will be a plurality of closely spaced parallel lines of loops each line corresponding to the line herein illustrated.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of my invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit'of the invention are intended to be included Within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tufted fabric simulating terry cloth comprising a backing fabric and pile loops extending from both faces of the backing fabric, said pile loops comprising a longitudinally arranged series of loops formed by a first yarn disposed on one face of the backing fabric and a second yarn disposed on the opposite face of the backing fabric, each of said yarns having loops projecting through said backing fabric at spaced intervals and extending freely in loose pile-like disposition from the opposite face of said backing fabric to form pile loops and each of the loops of each of said yarns extending through a loop of the other yarn before projecting through the backing fabric.

2. A tufted fabric in accordance with claim 1 in which the loops of the first yarn are staggered with respect to the loops of the second yarn.

3. A tufted fabric in accordance with claim 1 wherein one link of each loop is extended in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the backing fabric feed and around both links of the succeeding loop of the other yarn prior to penetration through the backing fabric.

4. A tufted fabric in accordance with claim 1 wherein the opposed links of each of the respective yarns is spaced approximately one half of the distance between the points of penetration through the backing fabric by the respective yarn.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1900 Kleem 112-162 4 McAdams 66194 X Lacey 112-410 Lombardi 66-93 Wignall et a1 112410 X JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

J. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TUFTED FABRIC SIMULATING TERRY CLOTH COMPRISING A BACKING FABRIC AND PILE LOOPS EXTENDING FROM BOTH FACES OF THE BACKING FABRIC, SAID PILE LOOPS COMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY ARRANGED SERIES OF LOOPS FORMED BY A FIRST YARN DISPOSED ON ONE FACE OF THE BACKING FABRIC AND A SECOND YARN DISPOSED ON THE OPPOSITE FACE OF THE BACKING FABRIC, EACH OF SAID YARNS HAVING LOOPS PROJECTING THROUGH SAID BACKING FABRIC AT SPACED INTERVALS AND EXTENDING FREELY IN LOOSE PILE-LIKE DISPOSITION FROM THE OPPOSITE FACE OF SAID BACKING FABRIC TO FORM PILE LOOPS AND EACH OF THE LOOPS OF EACH OF SAID YARNS EXTENDING THROUGH A LOOP OF THE OTHER YARN BEFORE PROJECTING THROUGH THE BACKING FABRIC. 